Our Team

Progress is a consistent theme for RealNetworks founder, chairman and CEO Rob Glaser, who has been an advocate for progressive change from an early age. Rob’s activism traces back to Yonkers, where his mother, a social worker serving at-risk children in inner city New York, offered dramatic examples of social inequity. Rob’s parents undertook volunteer posts that ranged from distributing leaflets for United Farm Workers to serving as organizers at Anti-Nuke rallies.

As a university student, Rob authored a column called “What’s Left” in the Yale Daily News, where he was editorial-page editor, and ran The Campaign Against Militarism and the Draft on campus. At 21, with two undergraduate degrees and a masters in economics, Rob went to work at Microsoft.

At the age of 30, Rob stepped away from his position as Microsoft’s Vice President of Multimedia Systems. Though he had been financially supporting social causes, he wanted a more active role. He joined five non-profit boards including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Foundation for National Progress. Rob was appointed by President Clinton to the Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters. In 2004, he was honored as a Music Visionary of the Year by the UJA-Federation of New York and the Music for Youth Foundation. Rob has served on the Yale University Council and Broadcasting Board of Governor’s Commission on Innovation.

Determined to use technology to pursue a progressive agenda, Rob founded Progressive Networks in 1993. Two years later Progressive Networks launched RealAudio, a product that delivered streaming audio via the web. Voices that could not penetrate mainstream media could now be heard in real time via the Internet worldwide. RealVideo followed in 1997, augmenting audio with visual documentary. Now named RealNetworks, the company continues to deliver independent and alternative ideas, with a vast array of content across devices and around the globe.

Michael Parham is a distinguished attorney based in Seattle, Washington, with over two decades of experience at RealNetworks, Inc., where he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel until June 2023. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in guiding the company through its transition to private ownership.  Before his time at RealNetworks, Parham was Regional Counsel at IBM in Chicago, managing the company’s Midwest legal department. He began his legal career at the law firm Chapman and Cutler, focusing on corporate finance. Parham holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. Beyond his professional endeavors, he is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of organizations such as the Seattle Art Museum.

Ben Klasky is serving as the foundation’s Interim Executive Director. He is the Founder and Principal of Seismic Philanthropy, a company that advises foundations and families on philanthropic strategy. Ben has served as a nonprofit CEO at several organizations including IslandWood – an environmental education organization working throughout the Seattle region. He also served as the CEO of Net Impact, co-founded Camp Galileo, and worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help amplify the giving of some of the world’s wealthiest individuals. Ben has taught graduate courses on Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management at the University of Washington. He began his career as a Teach For America corps member in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. And he has served on over a dozen boards including PCC Community Markets; KUOW; and a national park monument to commemorate Japanese-American Exclusion in WW2.  He holds an MBA and Masters in Education from Stanford University.

Melessa Rogers is a seasoned nonprofit management professional currently serving as the Foundation’s Operations Manager. In this role, she oversees daily operations and manages grant-related inquiries. Previously, Melessa was the Director of Operations for RESULTS, a leading grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to ending hunger and poverty.  In addition, Melessa’s diverse experience in nonprofit management is complemented by her entrepreneurial endeavors. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Antioch University. Throughout her career, Melessa has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to social progress, leveraging her expertise to support organizations that drive meaningful change.